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Digital Minister Matt Hancock MP addresses annual UK Music Summer Party at the House of Commons

14/07/2017: Digital Minister Matt Hancock MP addressed UK Music’s summer party on Wednesday 12 July. Welcoming the findings of UK Music’s Wish You Were Here report, which revealed music tourism contributes £4 billion to the economy with over 30 million attending live events in 2016, Matt stressed the vital importance of intellectual property on the music industry.

The minister also raised concerns about the operation of Form 696, a form used by the Met Police which he believes is having a negative impact on the London grassroots music scenes and its venues.

Matt said “I have seen countless case studies of the problems that it has caused and I hope that working with the Mayor of London, who I have written to on this, and pushing on this can make some progress to make sure all forms of music have their live venues.”

He concluded his remarks by saying he hoped that music in the UK, both live and recorded, continued to go from strength to strength.